Chapter Thirteen
In which a Bad Guy gets killed, a Noble Sacrifice is committed, and a Horrible Plan is set into motion
Cloud and Goble faced each other through the blowing snow. Goble giggled. A puny human. This would be no challenge. He would be able to report to Master Enkido that he had scored First Kill on this world. With First Kill came honor and respect, and with honor and respect came continued life. He lunged forward, his ebon blade lashing at Cloud's face. The Enhance Sword whipped upward, blocking the blade with a clang of steel on eldritch metal. The hook on Goble's left hand swung in, aiming to disembowel Cloud where he stood. Cloud spotted it out of the corner of his eye and twisted aside at the last moment, sustaining a flesh wound instead. Cloud spun to the right, bringing his sword away from the threatening blade, attempting to sever the hook from the arm. Goble caught the blade of the Enhance Sword in his hook and looked Cloud in the face.
"Naughty, naughty... Vwee hee hee!" Goble stabbed his blade at Cloud's left eye, forcing Cloud to fall backwards or be blinded. Cloud landed on the snow and rolled aside just in time to avoid being cut in two by the eerily sharp blade. He leaped up and held his hand out in front of him. Goble was blasted with a swirl of powerul winds that knocked the young tengu backwards. Cloud took advantage of the confusion fostered by the Tornado spell to activate his Deathblow Materia, leaping into the air to try and bring his sword to rest in the tengu's heart. Goble rolled aside, and the Enhance Sword plunged into the snow. Goble whipped his sword across his body, slicing deeply into the young man's arm. Cloud again leaped into the air as the Command Counter linked to his Deathblow glowed. This time the sword connected, and one of Goble's wings fell to the snow, shedding coal-black feathers. Goble stood and looked at the severed appendage, then at the spot where the limb had been attached. Black blood spurted from the wound, forming a new wing in a matter of seconds.
"Vwee hee hee! You'll have to do better than that!" Cloud dropped back a bit, hastily casting Cure2 on himself. How to combat an enemy that is constantly regnerating? Goble raised his sword and moved carefully towards Cloud. This was a worthy opponent. It would make victory all the sweeter.
* * *
In the near distance, Surge watched the two battle. His eyes gleamed from under his hat, and Surge fervently hoped the human would win. He had another feeling about that bird-man... That one was the start of something bad. Unspeakably bad. But there was something else coupled with it, a feeling of... hope. Bad things would come to pass, but he could do something about them. He sat in the snow to watch the fight. He would provide aid if needed, at the risk of drawing the tengu's attention to him.
* * *
The trucks rattled along the road towards Deling City. A few other trucks were staying behind to gather up other wounded. Marlene sat in the back of one of the trucks and began to doze off. She awoke when someone bumped her. She looked up to see a form searching August's body. She sat up. "Hey!" The figure slipped something small and round into its mouth and leaped out of the truck. As the figure fled into the flying snow, she realized it was the legless form of Sinnius Sinclair. A quick search of August's body found that he had stolen the disk August had recieved from the failing AI ofthe Garden.
* * *
Sinnius gripped the disk in his teeth as he used his hands to walk across the snow-covered fields towards the shattered hulk of Galbadia Garden. He paused a moment to mumble a Float spell, easing his movement. He had to get to the Garden before... There were old machines in the deepest levels. He had found one... All the other machines ran off the Garden's main core, but this one had its own power supply. After months of study, he had deduced its purpose. Now was the time for it to fulfill that purpose.
* * *
Goble and Cloud circled each other like a pair of wild animals. Goble rushed in, delivering a series of blows with sword and hook, each expertly parried by Cloud. Cloud swung the Enhance Sword at Goble in an overhand slice that would have neatly decapitated the tengu had it connected. Goble rolled backwards and was up again, sword in the ready position. Cloud focused on the green Materia in his armor, and Goble was engulfed in a column of flame. Cloud then reached into his pocket, pulling out an item and hurling it at the birdlike warrior. Goble was suddenly surrounded by jags of lightning, filling the air with energy. Goble staggered backwards, startled by the sudden bombardment of elemental power. He shook himself and flew into the air. Cloud looked up. Goble's form was lost in the blinding snowstorm. A whooshing noise warned him just in time. He threw his body to the side just as Goble came slamming down in a strike that Cloud recognized as the deathblow that killed Aerith. Cloud rolled to his feet as Goble drew his sword out of the ground.
Goble giggled again. "So, you are still alive... Hee hee hee... Let's see if we can remedy that..." With a sudden lunge, Goble's sword ran through Cloud's thigh, dropping Cloud to his knees. Cloud struggled to rise, but his leg just collapsed underneath him. He looked up to see Goble standing over him, sword raised. "Good fight. Now you die... Vwee hee hee!"
* * *
Surge gasped as Cloud collapsed. He reached down into himself and called forth swirls of power that he sent towards the combatants. "Astral Helpers."
* * *
Sinnius crawled into the ruins of Garden. He made his way to the open elevator and opened a shaft leading down. The disk he gripped in his teeth gleamed in the half-light that permeated the MD levels of the Garden. His objective was just ahead.
* * *
Marlene gazed out over the snow as the reddish form of the ruined Garden faded into the blowing snow. August moaned and shivered next to her. She cradled his head in her lap and stroked his face. When they got to Deling City... She had so many questions and so few answers. The storm, the breakout, the mysterious man with the shadowy past she had cradled in her lap, the strange, and yet somehow familiar, man named Cloud... Too many questions... Perhaps Master Walker would be able to answer some of them...
* * *
Cloud crawled backwards as Goble advanced, sword raised. Goble looked up suddenly as a swirl of energy interposed itself between them. "What? Out of my way." The swirl pressed forward, forcing Goble to retreat a moment. Another swirl nudged Cloud from behind as another focused on his leg. The swirl wrapped itself around Cloud's leg, and Cloud felt the wound heal partially, enough to stop blood loss temporarily and allow him to walk. The swirl behind him helped Cloud to his feet. Cloud raised the Enhance Sword's golden blade and faced Goble.
"Goble! I don't know why you are doing this, but I shall kill you!"
Goble swept his blade through the swirl that faced him, dissipating it. He giggled. "Vwee hee hee... Why? I like to kill. The clash of sword on sword. The screams of the dying. The smell of blood. I love them all." He laughed again. "If you manage to kill me, that shall be an incredible feat. I have faced scores of men, and only five have touched me."
Cloud raised his sword in front of him like a barrier. "Perhaps I will not be able to defeat you, but I intend to try! CLIMHAZZARD!" Cloud leapt forward, driving the Enhance Sword into Goble's torso. He paused a moment, and leaped upwards, drawing the sword out through Goble's body. Goble looked down at the great rent in his body, then began cackling madly as black blood again rushed to fill in the gap.
"Foolish human. I cannot be killed by such puny weapons. Now, prepare to meet your doom." Goble lunged forward, dealing Cloud a blow that staggered him as it impacted his sword. Goble began dealing blow after blow with unholy endurance. Cloud struggled to keep the Enhance Sword between him and the lethal blade. The remaining Astral Helper tried to interpose itself again, only to be dissipated with a near-effortless sweep of Goble's blade. Cloud took advantage of that moment of distraction to leap to his feet and come in with an overhand strike. Goble saw it out of the corner of his eye and brought his blade around just in time. The two swords locked together, then, with a sound like ice breaking, the two blades twisted and shattered into a thousand pieces. Cloud and Goble were left with just the useless hilts clutched in their hands. The two looked for a moment at the glittering shards of metal lying around. Cloud looked back at Goble just in time to evade a swipe from the hook.
"Vwee hee hee! We're both down a weapon, now... Fortunately, I still have another one! Vwee hee hee!" Goble leapt forward again, swinging his hook wildly.
* * *
Sinnius looked at the machine in front of him. It was time. He could feel his strength failing. He pulled the disk out of his mouth and slid it into a slot on the front of the machine. His vision wavered, and the machine changed into a long white tunnel. Sinnius stood up and stepped into the tunnel, only pausing once to look back at his legless body on the floor.
* * *
The machine in the bowels of the Garden read the information contained on the disk. Reaction mass was needed. It set about gathering it. A glowing white column of flame leaped upwards from the machine, licking at the roof of the chamber. It wore through and continued upwards. As it grew in height, its diameter expanded as well. Flecks and shafts of light began to show through holes in the ruined Garden as the structure of the Garden was consumed to provide reaction mass. With a silent roar, the pillar of light broke through the dome of the Garden, shedding light across the landscape.
* * *
Goble paused in shock as the light broke through the Garden, illuminating the landscape as if it were day. He cringed as a beam of light swept over him. "The light! The light! Goble hurt! Stop the liiiiighht..." Goble's face bubbled and hissed when the light passed across it, and Goble cringed and cried out in pain. He spread his wings to fly away, but another shaft of light caught one wing, shredding it and dissolving it into nothingness. Goble screamed as the light grew more intense, devouring his body before his regenerative blood could take effect. Goble's body melted and dissolved, leaving behind only a few coal-black feathers, the shattered remains of his blade, and a small golden item. Cloud limped over and examined the item. A hairpin, crafted of gold. He slipped it into his pocket and began gathering up the fragments of his shattered blade. After a moment's thought, he began gathering the shards of Goble's blade as well. It would be more efficient than trying to sort them out. He only hoped there was a decent swordsmith in the nearest city. He suddenly stumbled. Blood spilled onto the snow from his injured leg. His vision wavered, but he thought he could see a figure approaching through the snow. He moaned and collapsed, unconscious.
Surge approached the fallen warrior. An orb of blue energy formed in his hand and moved to the man's leg, settling in and suffusing through Cloud's body. "That should keep him alive until Deling City." Surge picked Cloud up and moved him into a truck, then sat in the back as the truck started up and rumbled towards Deling City. He gazed at the Light Pillar that burned and flared above Galbadia Garden. Somehow, that light was the beginning of man's greatest terror, and of man's greatest hope.
* * *
Marlene stared at the pillar of light that stretched into the sky from the Garden. How had that happened? August groaned next to her. "Ma-Marlene..."
Marlene held August's hand. "It's all right, August. We'll be in Deling City soon."
"S-Sinnius..."
"What? Sinnius Sinclair stole that disk you had..."
"Yes... That light... The result of the disk... The hope of man... Sinnius... Died... For it..." His head fell back and his breathing steadied. Marlene looked at him. He looked so innocent while he was asleep... What secrets did he carry locked in the deepest recesses of his brain? She sighed and lay down next to him. Soon, both had fallen into a dreamless sleep. The trucks rattled on as the lights of Deling City began to show through the snow.
The Light Pillar raged on, devouring the substance of the Garden at a terrific rate. Soon, there was nothing left above ground except the shining pillar of white flame. Deep within the Garden, the machine received the last bit of reaction mass needed and began to work.
* * *
Kuja's dragon swooped through the canyons around Timber. On the back of the dragon, Heinrich stood, his hair streaming out in the wind. He laughed. "It's the OOONLY way to fly!" He revelled in his new freedom. Below, the busses rumbled through the snow to the airfield, where planes were waiting to take them to Kuja's secret base. Leonardo looked at Heinrich.
"Are you insane?!"
Heinrich looked back. Leonardo was stretched flat on the back of the dragon, holding on for dear life.
"Perhaps. Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?"
Leonardo nodded, looking decidedly green. Heinrich laughed and turned away. He raised his head and felt the snow swirl past his hair. He looked down at the line of busses, sighed and sat down on the back of the dragon.
Within a few minutes, the dragon and bus convoy arrived at the airfield outside of Timber. The Vinzer Deling Memorial Airstrip was relatively new, having been constructed by the Galbadian Army Corp of Engineers shortly after President Deling's assassination. It was also relatively unused, since not many people liked to be reminded of the late President. At least, not in the Timber area, anyway. Five large GC-10s sat on the tarmac, boarding ramps open. The convicts began unloading from the busses.
Heinrich hopped off the dragon and turned to his partners. "One of you go with each plane. We're gonna be one short, so find Alix and get him to supervise the other plane. I'm trusting you guys to uphold my command." Vargas, Leonardo and Suzarn nodded and moved off towards the group of convicts.
Heinrich led Kuja's dragon into one of the planes. The pilot came out of the cockpit to meet him. "Mr. Kuja?"
Heinrich shook his head. "Kuja is going to be delayed. He'll be along shortly. He gave orders that we are to continue to his base. Do you know where that is?"
"Yees... Any specific flight pattern you want us to take?"
"Stay low, so we avoid the radar at D-City. And try to maintain radio silence. We've got Garden after us, but it looks like they might be busy for a while."
The pilot nodded and headed back into the cockpit. Heinrich looked out at the snow-covered airstrip. He called for the busses to be brought on the plane as well. They didn't want to leave much evidence behind.
Once all the convicts and busses were on board, Heinrich moved up to the cockpit, where the pilot was just warming up the plane and preparing for takeoff. The pilot looked up at him and said that he would call Heinrich if anything came up. Heinrich nodded and moved back to the passenger area. There was a shudder as the planes taxied down the runway and took off into the snow-filled skies.
After a few minutes being airborne, a large, beefy convict came up to Heinrich. "Yo. Me and some of the boys were just talkin' about how you seem to have taken this operation over. Don't seem right, y'know?"
Heinrich stood. "You have a problem with me leading this rag-tag band of rebels?"
"Yeah." Beefy-dude poked Heinrich in the chest. "Looks to me like I could do a better job of leading these guys. After all, I wasn't in solitary for five years."
Heinrich pushed the man's hand away. "Don't touch me. Perhaps you were out in general circulation, but that apparently only taught you to throw your weight around."
"Hey! Why...Urk!" A hum, a wet sound and a thud occurred in rapid succession, and then Heinrich hauled open the door and kicked the man's body out of the plane. He turned to the rest of the convicts, spear glowing slightly in his hand.
"Any more objections to me leading?"
Silence. Heinrich sat back down. The rest of the flight passed without incident. The pilot called him into the cockpit about two hours later, telling him they were close to their destination. He looked out of the cockpit. He recognized the terrain as being in the Centra continent. They passed into the area of the Kashkabald Desert. Here, the heat made it hard for the snow to stick, but snowdrifts were encroaching on the edges of the desert very slowly.
The pilot pointed ahead, to where a cloud of dust could be seen. As the planes drew nearer, Heinrich could make out that it was a group of four sand whirlpools. The pilot reached up to the panel above his head and flipped a few switches. The sand over one of the pools stilled and dropped away, revealing a hole in the desert. The plane dipped low over the sands and slid in through the hole. An immense cavern lay beneath the sand. In the brief glimpse Heinrich got before the plane parked, it had rank upon rank of Estharian Thrustaevis class fighters. Small, one-man jets that packed a powerful punch. a private citizen could obtain a de-militarized one for a Sorceress's ransom, and for this many to be in one place, and all apparently fully armed and functional... Kuja must be some kind of incredibly rich man.
All five planes parked, and convicts began coming out, gazing in wonder at the cavern they were in. Doors led off on all sides, leading to hallways, sleeping quarters, mess hall, training rooms, and all the comforts of home. Heinrich called them all together and addressed them.
"Fellow jailbirds! I'm sure if Kuja were here, he would have a wonderful and stirring speech about this new home we find ourselves in, but I'm afraid I'm not very accustomed to public speaking! Hopefully Kuja will be returning to us in a short while. In the meantime, acquaint yourselves with this facility. It will most likely be our home for quite some time! Please refrain from killing any of your fellows! We'll be needing every body we can get!"
With that, he turned and walked into Kuja's private quarters. A set of blueprints lay on the table. Apparently Kuja had been studying them, or had laid them out to remind himself when he got back. Heinrich examined the blueprints. "An airship? Speed... Armament... Armor... Fighter launch capability? Hmm. A list? Materials needed to build two airships of this kind... Two? This airship is apparently more powerful than the Ragnarok! Why would he want two of them?" He stepped out into the main cavern and beckoned to a convict who was examining a plane. "You there! Are you an engineer!"
The convict came over. "Yes, sir. Engineer, explosives expert, pilot, and general jack-of-all-trades, sir."
Heinrich handed him the list. "Start taking inventory. See how much we have here and what we need."
"Yes, sir." The convict moved off among the rows of planes and supply crates. Heinrich returned to the room and settled into a chair. He chuckled. If Kuja didn't come back...
* * *
Choco strutted across the snowfields, leaving a cloud of snow behind his flying feet. Zidane crouched low on Choco's back, out of the wind. Choco came to the sea and began running right across. Zidane smiled. All those Gil paid to Mene were finally paying off...
Choco came to another snow-covered continent, and began crossing the mountains. They came over a high peak and stopped. Zidane looked down at an enormous building, roughly the size of Lindblum Grand Castle! It seemed to have suffered heavy damage in the not-too-distant past, since chunks of it were burned and scarred, and repairs were just starting to show. He looked harder and could make out tiny specks running here and there in the wind-blown snow, with occasional flashes as a spell went off. Zidane tapped Choco on the head. "Come on, let's go help!"
Choco kwehhed and started down the mountain, as Zidane pulled The Tower off his back. As he aproached the battlefield, it was apparent that groups of hmans were trying to fight off wave after wave of monsters. Zidane spurred Choco into their midst and leaped off, swinging The Tower at a Whale Zombie. The blade slashed through bone and rotting flesh, causing the Whale Zombie to moan as the pain from what was left of its flesh got through to its half-rotten brain. A Fire spell hit the Whale Zombie, causing it to begin burning like a funeral pyre. Zidane backed off, not wanting to get caught in its death throes. He looked over his shoulder to see the Black Mage that cast the spell. Then it hit him. Everyone on this battlefield was human! He looked around and couldn't find one steeple-crowned hat or forehead horn that indicated the natural-born gift of magic.
He stopped, just for a second, stunned that plain humans were using magic. That second was long enough for a Snow Lion to dash into him, sending him flying into a pile of snow. Zidane pulled himself out of the snow and faced the creature. This was a new one. He'd never encountered anything like this on the Lost Continent. He stepped back and concentrated on his weapon. Bolts of energy flew from the blade, afflicting the Snow Lion with the arcane status hidden in the weapon. The great beast shrank until it was slightly smaller than Zidane. It roared and tried to tackle him again, but Zidane merely held up a foot to stop it. He then brought The Tower spinning around his head in an overhand blow that chopped the creature in half. He dusted his hands off, turned and dashed over to where a group of people were attempting to take on a Gigan Octopus.
* * *
Mercas stood in another room in his Palace of Despair. Enkido stood beside him, watching as Lord Mercas scoured the planet for The Sign that he spoke of. The room they stood in was known as the Hall of Mirrors. The room was lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling. Each mirror served as a window to the world. Mercas' tiny spies, creatures no bigger than a cockroach, flew out into the world, and what they each saw was relayed back to a specific mirror.
Mercas moved from one mirror to another, muttering and grumbling to himself. "No, no, that's not it. I'll know it! I'll know it! I must wait until the time is right... Musn't strike prematurely, or all will be for naught..."
A glimmer from one mirror caught his eye. He stooped to see it better. "There! The Sign!" In the mirror, an image was shown of a snowy desert. Standing in the middle of the desert was an enormous column of light. Swaying and flickering, the Light Pillar was without question, The Sign Mercas had been looking for. He straightened up and turned to Enkido.
"The time has come. Let the order go out. The time to strike is now! We shall make an example to this puny world that they cannot help but take note of! Go! Take your soldiers and fly! Your target... Balamb!" He let out a maniacal cackle. "At last, the time is finally nearing! My long task is nearing an end, Enkido... Soon, I shall be Mercas, Ruler of ALL Dimensions! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..." He looked at Enkido. "Go! Commence the attack! We shall crush these puny humans like the insects they are!"
Enkido bowed. "Yes, Lord Mercas. To hear is to obey, O Terrifying One."
In which a Bad Guy gets killed, a Noble Sacrifice is committed, and a Horrible Plan is set into motion
Cloud and Goble faced each other through the blowing snow. Goble giggled. A puny human. This would be no challenge. He would be able to report to Master Enkido that he had scored First Kill on this world. With First Kill came honor and respect, and with honor and respect came continued life. He lunged forward, his ebon blade lashing at Cloud's face. The Enhance Sword whipped upward, blocking the blade with a clang of steel on eldritch metal. The hook on Goble's left hand swung in, aiming to disembowel Cloud where he stood. Cloud spotted it out of the corner of his eye and twisted aside at the last moment, sustaining a flesh wound instead. Cloud spun to the right, bringing his sword away from the threatening blade, attempting to sever the hook from the arm. Goble caught the blade of the Enhance Sword in his hook and looked Cloud in the face.
"Naughty, naughty... Vwee hee hee!" Goble stabbed his blade at Cloud's left eye, forcing Cloud to fall backwards or be blinded. Cloud landed on the snow and rolled aside just in time to avoid being cut in two by the eerily sharp blade. He leaped up and held his hand out in front of him. Goble was blasted with a swirl of powerul winds that knocked the young tengu backwards. Cloud took advantage of the confusion fostered by the Tornado spell to activate his Deathblow Materia, leaping into the air to try and bring his sword to rest in the tengu's heart. Goble rolled aside, and the Enhance Sword plunged into the snow. Goble whipped his sword across his body, slicing deeply into the young man's arm. Cloud again leaped into the air as the Command Counter linked to his Deathblow glowed. This time the sword connected, and one of Goble's wings fell to the snow, shedding coal-black feathers. Goble stood and looked at the severed appendage, then at the spot where the limb had been attached. Black blood spurted from the wound, forming a new wing in a matter of seconds.
"Vwee hee hee! You'll have to do better than that!" Cloud dropped back a bit, hastily casting Cure2 on himself. How to combat an enemy that is constantly regnerating? Goble raised his sword and moved carefully towards Cloud. This was a worthy opponent. It would make victory all the sweeter.
* * *
In the near distance, Surge watched the two battle. His eyes gleamed from under his hat, and Surge fervently hoped the human would win. He had another feeling about that bird-man... That one was the start of something bad. Unspeakably bad. But there was something else coupled with it, a feeling of... hope. Bad things would come to pass, but he could do something about them. He sat in the snow to watch the fight. He would provide aid if needed, at the risk of drawing the tengu's attention to him.
* * *
The trucks rattled along the road towards Deling City. A few other trucks were staying behind to gather up other wounded. Marlene sat in the back of one of the trucks and began to doze off. She awoke when someone bumped her. She looked up to see a form searching August's body. She sat up. "Hey!" The figure slipped something small and round into its mouth and leaped out of the truck. As the figure fled into the flying snow, she realized it was the legless form of Sinnius Sinclair. A quick search of August's body found that he had stolen the disk August had recieved from the failing AI ofthe Garden.
* * *
Sinnius gripped the disk in his teeth as he used his hands to walk across the snow-covered fields towards the shattered hulk of Galbadia Garden. He paused a moment to mumble a Float spell, easing his movement. He had to get to the Garden before... There were old machines in the deepest levels. He had found one... All the other machines ran off the Garden's main core, but this one had its own power supply. After months of study, he had deduced its purpose. Now was the time for it to fulfill that purpose.
* * *
Goble and Cloud circled each other like a pair of wild animals. Goble rushed in, delivering a series of blows with sword and hook, each expertly parried by Cloud. Cloud swung the Enhance Sword at Goble in an overhand slice that would have neatly decapitated the tengu had it connected. Goble rolled backwards and was up again, sword in the ready position. Cloud focused on the green Materia in his armor, and Goble was engulfed in a column of flame. Cloud then reached into his pocket, pulling out an item and hurling it at the birdlike warrior. Goble was suddenly surrounded by jags of lightning, filling the air with energy. Goble staggered backwards, startled by the sudden bombardment of elemental power. He shook himself and flew into the air. Cloud looked up. Goble's form was lost in the blinding snowstorm. A whooshing noise warned him just in time. He threw his body to the side just as Goble came slamming down in a strike that Cloud recognized as the deathblow that killed Aerith. Cloud rolled to his feet as Goble drew his sword out of the ground.
Goble giggled again. "So, you are still alive... Hee hee hee... Let's see if we can remedy that..." With a sudden lunge, Goble's sword ran through Cloud's thigh, dropping Cloud to his knees. Cloud struggled to rise, but his leg just collapsed underneath him. He looked up to see Goble standing over him, sword raised. "Good fight. Now you die... Vwee hee hee!"
* * *
Surge gasped as Cloud collapsed. He reached down into himself and called forth swirls of power that he sent towards the combatants. "Astral Helpers."
* * *
Sinnius crawled into the ruins of Garden. He made his way to the open elevator and opened a shaft leading down. The disk he gripped in his teeth gleamed in the half-light that permeated the MD levels of the Garden. His objective was just ahead.
* * *
Marlene gazed out over the snow as the reddish form of the ruined Garden faded into the blowing snow. August moaned and shivered next to her. She cradled his head in her lap and stroked his face. When they got to Deling City... She had so many questions and so few answers. The storm, the breakout, the mysterious man with the shadowy past she had cradled in her lap, the strange, and yet somehow familiar, man named Cloud... Too many questions... Perhaps Master Walker would be able to answer some of them...
* * *
Cloud crawled backwards as Goble advanced, sword raised. Goble looked up suddenly as a swirl of energy interposed itself between them. "What? Out of my way." The swirl pressed forward, forcing Goble to retreat a moment. Another swirl nudged Cloud from behind as another focused on his leg. The swirl wrapped itself around Cloud's leg, and Cloud felt the wound heal partially, enough to stop blood loss temporarily and allow him to walk. The swirl behind him helped Cloud to his feet. Cloud raised the Enhance Sword's golden blade and faced Goble.
"Goble! I don't know why you are doing this, but I shall kill you!"
Goble swept his blade through the swirl that faced him, dissipating it. He giggled. "Vwee hee hee... Why? I like to kill. The clash of sword on sword. The screams of the dying. The smell of blood. I love them all." He laughed again. "If you manage to kill me, that shall be an incredible feat. I have faced scores of men, and only five have touched me."
Cloud raised his sword in front of him like a barrier. "Perhaps I will not be able to defeat you, but I intend to try! CLIMHAZZARD!" Cloud leapt forward, driving the Enhance Sword into Goble's torso. He paused a moment, and leaped upwards, drawing the sword out through Goble's body. Goble looked down at the great rent in his body, then began cackling madly as black blood again rushed to fill in the gap.
"Foolish human. I cannot be killed by such puny weapons. Now, prepare to meet your doom." Goble lunged forward, dealing Cloud a blow that staggered him as it impacted his sword. Goble began dealing blow after blow with unholy endurance. Cloud struggled to keep the Enhance Sword between him and the lethal blade. The remaining Astral Helper tried to interpose itself again, only to be dissipated with a near-effortless sweep of Goble's blade. Cloud took advantage of that moment of distraction to leap to his feet and come in with an overhand strike. Goble saw it out of the corner of his eye and brought his blade around just in time. The two swords locked together, then, with a sound like ice breaking, the two blades twisted and shattered into a thousand pieces. Cloud and Goble were left with just the useless hilts clutched in their hands. The two looked for a moment at the glittering shards of metal lying around. Cloud looked back at Goble just in time to evade a swipe from the hook.
"Vwee hee hee! We're both down a weapon, now... Fortunately, I still have another one! Vwee hee hee!" Goble leapt forward again, swinging his hook wildly.
* * *
Sinnius looked at the machine in front of him. It was time. He could feel his strength failing. He pulled the disk out of his mouth and slid it into a slot on the front of the machine. His vision wavered, and the machine changed into a long white tunnel. Sinnius stood up and stepped into the tunnel, only pausing once to look back at his legless body on the floor.
* * *
The machine in the bowels of the Garden read the information contained on the disk. Reaction mass was needed. It set about gathering it. A glowing white column of flame leaped upwards from the machine, licking at the roof of the chamber. It wore through and continued upwards. As it grew in height, its diameter expanded as well. Flecks and shafts of light began to show through holes in the ruined Garden as the structure of the Garden was consumed to provide reaction mass. With a silent roar, the pillar of light broke through the dome of the Garden, shedding light across the landscape.
* * *
Goble paused in shock as the light broke through the Garden, illuminating the landscape as if it were day. He cringed as a beam of light swept over him. "The light! The light! Goble hurt! Stop the liiiiighht..." Goble's face bubbled and hissed when the light passed across it, and Goble cringed and cried out in pain. He spread his wings to fly away, but another shaft of light caught one wing, shredding it and dissolving it into nothingness. Goble screamed as the light grew more intense, devouring his body before his regenerative blood could take effect. Goble's body melted and dissolved, leaving behind only a few coal-black feathers, the shattered remains of his blade, and a small golden item. Cloud limped over and examined the item. A hairpin, crafted of gold. He slipped it into his pocket and began gathering up the fragments of his shattered blade. After a moment's thought, he began gathering the shards of Goble's blade as well. It would be more efficient than trying to sort them out. He only hoped there was a decent swordsmith in the nearest city. He suddenly stumbled. Blood spilled onto the snow from his injured leg. His vision wavered, but he thought he could see a figure approaching through the snow. He moaned and collapsed, unconscious.
Surge approached the fallen warrior. An orb of blue energy formed in his hand and moved to the man's leg, settling in and suffusing through Cloud's body. "That should keep him alive until Deling City." Surge picked Cloud up and moved him into a truck, then sat in the back as the truck started up and rumbled towards Deling City. He gazed at the Light Pillar that burned and flared above Galbadia Garden. Somehow, that light was the beginning of man's greatest terror, and of man's greatest hope.
* * *
Marlene stared at the pillar of light that stretched into the sky from the Garden. How had that happened? August groaned next to her. "Ma-Marlene..."
Marlene held August's hand. "It's all right, August. We'll be in Deling City soon."
"S-Sinnius..."
"What? Sinnius Sinclair stole that disk you had..."
"Yes... That light... The result of the disk... The hope of man... Sinnius... Died... For it..." His head fell back and his breathing steadied. Marlene looked at him. He looked so innocent while he was asleep... What secrets did he carry locked in the deepest recesses of his brain? She sighed and lay down next to him. Soon, both had fallen into a dreamless sleep. The trucks rattled on as the lights of Deling City began to show through the snow.
The Light Pillar raged on, devouring the substance of the Garden at a terrific rate. Soon, there was nothing left above ground except the shining pillar of white flame. Deep within the Garden, the machine received the last bit of reaction mass needed and began to work.
* * *
Kuja's dragon swooped through the canyons around Timber. On the back of the dragon, Heinrich stood, his hair streaming out in the wind. He laughed. "It's the OOONLY way to fly!" He revelled in his new freedom. Below, the busses rumbled through the snow to the airfield, where planes were waiting to take them to Kuja's secret base. Leonardo looked at Heinrich.
"Are you insane?!"
Heinrich looked back. Leonardo was stretched flat on the back of the dragon, holding on for dear life.
"Perhaps. Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?"
Leonardo nodded, looking decidedly green. Heinrich laughed and turned away. He raised his head and felt the snow swirl past his hair. He looked down at the line of busses, sighed and sat down on the back of the dragon.
Within a few minutes, the dragon and bus convoy arrived at the airfield outside of Timber. The Vinzer Deling Memorial Airstrip was relatively new, having been constructed by the Galbadian Army Corp of Engineers shortly after President Deling's assassination. It was also relatively unused, since not many people liked to be reminded of the late President. At least, not in the Timber area, anyway. Five large GC-10s sat on the tarmac, boarding ramps open. The convicts began unloading from the busses.
Heinrich hopped off the dragon and turned to his partners. "One of you go with each plane. We're gonna be one short, so find Alix and get him to supervise the other plane. I'm trusting you guys to uphold my command." Vargas, Leonardo and Suzarn nodded and moved off towards the group of convicts.
Heinrich led Kuja's dragon into one of the planes. The pilot came out of the cockpit to meet him. "Mr. Kuja?"
Heinrich shook his head. "Kuja is going to be delayed. He'll be along shortly. He gave orders that we are to continue to his base. Do you know where that is?"
"Yees... Any specific flight pattern you want us to take?"
"Stay low, so we avoid the radar at D-City. And try to maintain radio silence. We've got Garden after us, but it looks like they might be busy for a while."
The pilot nodded and headed back into the cockpit. Heinrich looked out at the snow-covered airstrip. He called for the busses to be brought on the plane as well. They didn't want to leave much evidence behind.
Once all the convicts and busses were on board, Heinrich moved up to the cockpit, where the pilot was just warming up the plane and preparing for takeoff. The pilot looked up at him and said that he would call Heinrich if anything came up. Heinrich nodded and moved back to the passenger area. There was a shudder as the planes taxied down the runway and took off into the snow-filled skies.
After a few minutes being airborne, a large, beefy convict came up to Heinrich. "Yo. Me and some of the boys were just talkin' about how you seem to have taken this operation over. Don't seem right, y'know?"
Heinrich stood. "You have a problem with me leading this rag-tag band of rebels?"
"Yeah." Beefy-dude poked Heinrich in the chest. "Looks to me like I could do a better job of leading these guys. After all, I wasn't in solitary for five years."
Heinrich pushed the man's hand away. "Don't touch me. Perhaps you were out in general circulation, but that apparently only taught you to throw your weight around."
"Hey! Why...Urk!" A hum, a wet sound and a thud occurred in rapid succession, and then Heinrich hauled open the door and kicked the man's body out of the plane. He turned to the rest of the convicts, spear glowing slightly in his hand.
"Any more objections to me leading?"
Silence. Heinrich sat back down. The rest of the flight passed without incident. The pilot called him into the cockpit about two hours later, telling him they were close to their destination. He looked out of the cockpit. He recognized the terrain as being in the Centra continent. They passed into the area of the Kashkabald Desert. Here, the heat made it hard for the snow to stick, but snowdrifts were encroaching on the edges of the desert very slowly.
The pilot pointed ahead, to where a cloud of dust could be seen. As the planes drew nearer, Heinrich could make out that it was a group of four sand whirlpools. The pilot reached up to the panel above his head and flipped a few switches. The sand over one of the pools stilled and dropped away, revealing a hole in the desert. The plane dipped low over the sands and slid in through the hole. An immense cavern lay beneath the sand. In the brief glimpse Heinrich got before the plane parked, it had rank upon rank of Estharian Thrustaevis class fighters. Small, one-man jets that packed a powerful punch. a private citizen could obtain a de-militarized one for a Sorceress's ransom, and for this many to be in one place, and all apparently fully armed and functional... Kuja must be some kind of incredibly rich man.
All five planes parked, and convicts began coming out, gazing in wonder at the cavern they were in. Doors led off on all sides, leading to hallways, sleeping quarters, mess hall, training rooms, and all the comforts of home. Heinrich called them all together and addressed them.
"Fellow jailbirds! I'm sure if Kuja were here, he would have a wonderful and stirring speech about this new home we find ourselves in, but I'm afraid I'm not very accustomed to public speaking! Hopefully Kuja will be returning to us in a short while. In the meantime, acquaint yourselves with this facility. It will most likely be our home for quite some time! Please refrain from killing any of your fellows! We'll be needing every body we can get!"
With that, he turned and walked into Kuja's private quarters. A set of blueprints lay on the table. Apparently Kuja had been studying them, or had laid them out to remind himself when he got back. Heinrich examined the blueprints. "An airship? Speed... Armament... Armor... Fighter launch capability? Hmm. A list? Materials needed to build two airships of this kind... Two? This airship is apparently more powerful than the Ragnarok! Why would he want two of them?" He stepped out into the main cavern and beckoned to a convict who was examining a plane. "You there! Are you an engineer!"
The convict came over. "Yes, sir. Engineer, explosives expert, pilot, and general jack-of-all-trades, sir."
Heinrich handed him the list. "Start taking inventory. See how much we have here and what we need."
"Yes, sir." The convict moved off among the rows of planes and supply crates. Heinrich returned to the room and settled into a chair. He chuckled. If Kuja didn't come back...
* * *
Choco strutted across the snowfields, leaving a cloud of snow behind his flying feet. Zidane crouched low on Choco's back, out of the wind. Choco came to the sea and began running right across. Zidane smiled. All those Gil paid to Mene were finally paying off...
Choco came to another snow-covered continent, and began crossing the mountains. They came over a high peak and stopped. Zidane looked down at an enormous building, roughly the size of Lindblum Grand Castle! It seemed to have suffered heavy damage in the not-too-distant past, since chunks of it were burned and scarred, and repairs were just starting to show. He looked harder and could make out tiny specks running here and there in the wind-blown snow, with occasional flashes as a spell went off. Zidane tapped Choco on the head. "Come on, let's go help!"
Choco kwehhed and started down the mountain, as Zidane pulled The Tower off his back. As he aproached the battlefield, it was apparent that groups of hmans were trying to fight off wave after wave of monsters. Zidane spurred Choco into their midst and leaped off, swinging The Tower at a Whale Zombie. The blade slashed through bone and rotting flesh, causing the Whale Zombie to moan as the pain from what was left of its flesh got through to its half-rotten brain. A Fire spell hit the Whale Zombie, causing it to begin burning like a funeral pyre. Zidane backed off, not wanting to get caught in its death throes. He looked over his shoulder to see the Black Mage that cast the spell. Then it hit him. Everyone on this battlefield was human! He looked around and couldn't find one steeple-crowned hat or forehead horn that indicated the natural-born gift of magic.
He stopped, just for a second, stunned that plain humans were using magic. That second was long enough for a Snow Lion to dash into him, sending him flying into a pile of snow. Zidane pulled himself out of the snow and faced the creature. This was a new one. He'd never encountered anything like this on the Lost Continent. He stepped back and concentrated on his weapon. Bolts of energy flew from the blade, afflicting the Snow Lion with the arcane status hidden in the weapon. The great beast shrank until it was slightly smaller than Zidane. It roared and tried to tackle him again, but Zidane merely held up a foot to stop it. He then brought The Tower spinning around his head in an overhand blow that chopped the creature in half. He dusted his hands off, turned and dashed over to where a group of people were attempting to take on a Gigan Octopus.
* * *
Mercas stood in another room in his Palace of Despair. Enkido stood beside him, watching as Lord Mercas scoured the planet for The Sign that he spoke of. The room they stood in was known as the Hall of Mirrors. The room was lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling. Each mirror served as a window to the world. Mercas' tiny spies, creatures no bigger than a cockroach, flew out into the world, and what they each saw was relayed back to a specific mirror.
Mercas moved from one mirror to another, muttering and grumbling to himself. "No, no, that's not it. I'll know it! I'll know it! I must wait until the time is right... Musn't strike prematurely, or all will be for naught..."
A glimmer from one mirror caught his eye. He stooped to see it better. "There! The Sign!" In the mirror, an image was shown of a snowy desert. Standing in the middle of the desert was an enormous column of light. Swaying and flickering, the Light Pillar was without question, The Sign Mercas had been looking for. He straightened up and turned to Enkido.
"The time has come. Let the order go out. The time to strike is now! We shall make an example to this puny world that they cannot help but take note of! Go! Take your soldiers and fly! Your target... Balamb!" He let out a maniacal cackle. "At last, the time is finally nearing! My long task is nearing an end, Enkido... Soon, I shall be Mercas, Ruler of ALL Dimensions! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..." He looked at Enkido. "Go! Commence the attack! We shall crush these puny humans like the insects they are!"
Enkido bowed. "Yes, Lord Mercas. To hear is to obey, O Terrifying One."
